Applications may be submitted beginning March 20;

$5 million available to replace or repower heavy trucks and buses;

Informational conference call scheduled for Feb. 27

Ohio EPA is announcing a new application submittal date of March 20, 2018, for grant proposals to the new Alternative Fuel Vehicle Conversion Grants program. The extended time line will allow applicants and vendors additional time to prepare their proposals.

This grant from Ohio EPA will assist owners of heavy-duty diesel- or gasoline-powered vehicles (weighing at least 26,000 pounds) to convert or replace engines to use compressed natural gas (CNG), liquified natural gas (LNG), or liquid petroleum gas (LPG, such as propane or butane). These cleaner fuels and technologies help improve air quality by reducing diesel emissions such as nitrogen oxide and fine particulates. Grants also may be used for bi-fueled or dual-fueled vehicles that can run on both an alternative fuel and gasoline or diesel fuel.

The program is supported with $5 million allocated by the Ohio General Assembly from the Alternative Fuel Transportation Fund of the Ohio Developmental Services Agency. Eligible alternative fuel vehicles must be registered in Ohio for operation on public highways and be used in business. In addition, more than half the miles driven must be within Ohio. The limit on the total grant award to applicants seeking to replace or convert multiple vehicles is $400,000.

A public information session to explain the new grant program and answer questions was held last month. Ohio EPA also is offering a conference call on Feb. 27 to answer questions from prospective grant applicants. It is not necessary to pre-register to participate. Dial in information for the conference call is included in the grant application guidelines.

Ohio EPA has posted the grant application for alternative fuel vehicle conversion grants and guidelines on the Ohio EPA Office of Environmental Education web page. Applications may be emailed to derg@epa.ohio.gov beginning no earlier than 8 a.m. on Tuesday, March 20. Eligible applications will be funded on a first-come, first-served basis and the application opportunity will remain open until all available funds have been allocated.

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The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency was created in 1972 to consolidate efforts to protect and improve air quality, water quality and waste management in Ohio. Since then, air pollutants dropped by as much as 90 percent; large rivers meeting standards improved from 21 percent to 89 percent; and hundreds of polluting, open dumps were replaced with engineered landfills and an increased emphasis on waste reduction and recycling.